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Japanese Man Self-Immolates Over Abe's Increasingly Militarist Shift
Under Article 9 of its post-war pacifist constitution, Japan is blocked from the use of force to resolve conflicts except in the case of self-defense; but, as The BBC reports, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he wants a new interpretation of the constitution to be agreed on. This has brought major protests in Japan, climaxing this weekend when a man set himself on fire in central Tokyo in protest at a proposed law which could allow Japan to deploy its military overseas. With stocks falling, JPY strengthening, an economy collapsing, and a surging disapproval rating, it seems Abe needs a 4th arrow - war?
Japan has well-equipped and well-trained armed forces but there are severe restrictions on them being deployed abroad.
Under Article 9 of its post-war pacifist constitution, Japan is blocked from the use of force to resolve conflicts except in the case of self-defence.
But Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he wants a new interpretation of the constitution to be agreed on.
The move has split opinion inside the country. Critics of the move warn against what they see as increasing militarism, while conservatives argue that the restriction is a double standard forced upon Japan.
And that led to this weeken'ds self-immolation...
A man set himself on fire in central Tokyo in protest at a proposed law which could allow Japan to deploy its military overseas.
The man was taken to hospital after being hosed down but his condition was not immediately known, officials said.
Japan's government could make the change to its pacifist constitution as early as next Tuesday.
The US-drafted constitution bans war and "the threat or use of force" to settle international disputes.
Witnesses said the middle-aged man, wearing a suit and tie, climbed onto a pedestrian bridge at Tokyo's Shinjuku station.
"He was sitting cross-legged and was just talking, so I thought it would end without incident," one eyewitness told Reuters. "Then all of a sudden his body was enveloped in fire."
Reports said the man used a megaphone to shout for over an hour about the change to Japan's constitution.
Of course, while some disapprove, others (cough USA cough) do not...
Mr Abe's plan has led to criticism from China, whose relations with the Japan have become strained over territorial disputes in East China Sea.
Correspondents say the move will likely please the US, with whom Japan has a long-standing security treaty.
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Sadly, with the economic mirage of printing yourself to prosperity having failed, we wonder (and worry) that Abe is increasingkly cornered...
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ABE the Fucking Ape. A Big O Sucker. Nothing more.
Always thought this was a strange form of protest but boy it sure gets one's attention.
How bad does shit have to be for you to want to lite yourself on fire?
New source of heat during cold Jap winters
Its a vary old form of protest. Mostly to show the resolve of a group. The individual thing i believe is recent.
To be effective you show up with 1k people and have 10 or 20 set set themselves on fire. As a message next time it will be the powers at be that would be doing the buring.
That would be a message that the powers that be could understand.
WWISISD?
This is all meaningless bullshit until someone lights Abe's ass on fire.
Something like this just happened recently in DC and it was interpreted as an example of political protest but later forensic examination determined a crack-head had just stumbled into a vat of lard at a local McDonalds.
You are what you do.
Buddhist monks used to do this with regularity in South Vietnam. It must have something to do with their religion. My philosophy dictates I take at least one of the bastards with me. It just seems to serve humanity better to lower the ratio of evil/good. Since the vast majority are good or neutral, even a 'one for one' kill ratio improves things.
Lucky for him that Japan is not Las Vegas...
Yep, they have plenty of radioactive water to spray on him.
@Truther:
No. Japan has deferred to the US since the end of WWII no matter who is president. They see themselves as a vassal state. It has been good for them economically.
But now a counterweight is needed for China. That's just the way it is. War has not been abolished because human nature has not changed. A militarized Japan is in the West's best interest.
There is no law against Japan having a military, even a very strong one. Their constitution simply limits it's use to defense. There is nothing wrong with that and it would be great if our Constitution had such a provision.
I have no idea why people want to pick on Abe. He, just like everyone else in the LDP and more recently Japanese politics in general, is an absolute puppet of Washington. Notice how the couple times that a non-LDP party managed to get into power or got very close, that some mysterious scandals popped up destroying the political careers of those who dared challenge them?
Regardless, article 9 is an utter fraud. I don't see how anyone can not see the hypocrisy of lying prostrate to the greatest military power on the earth to let them use your country as a giant military base and yet still claim to be a "pacifist" country. Some US official referred to Japan as an "unsinkable aircraft carrier" back in the 80's and the Japanese all got their panties in a bunch. I guess they didn't mind being the US's bitch, as long as they don't outright say it. They have to learn you can't have your cake and eat it too.
It will be funny to see how Japan reacts when the US finally pulls the pin on the whole Anpo deal due to a population sick of war and reckless spending. They really think the American people are going to accept a mutually destructive war with China for their sake? How a country that has not learned self-reliance since Commodore Perry's invasion in the mid 1800s expects to survive is beyond me.
Lived and worked in Japan at Japanese companies for quite some time now.
This. This x1000. Grimnir is correct in the above.
yeah, same playbook, start a war
They are immolating the wrong people.
i smell the stench of owebomba's influence on this move
Wow... words fail me... how much more before the kettle boils over?
This just seems so wierd to me because Abe didnt actually commit an agressive or violent act. He just changed his stance. An that elicited a self-immolation.
My thoughts exactly. Through all of this Japan maintains one of the highest standards of living, GDP per capita, life expectancy, access to medical care, education, social/cultural cohesion etc. etc. etc. Even Canada is technically far more militaristic than Japan has been in 70 years.
If anyone understands the outcome of military misadventures it would be Japan and those Japanese that do not want to practice insanity as a policy. One only needs to understand the total humiliation and utter defeat at the hands of a superpower when saving face was/is everything to a culture. This guy knows what lay ahead and chose to go out his way. Japan is doomed in a squeeze play between east and west.
Some know the script and have seen further.
Or, he jumped the gun and disqualified.
Very sad, either way.
You know those shifty Japanese. Could be a diversion using an ASIMO.
Article 9 is a huge wedge issue in Japanese culture. It causes a knee-jerk and polarized reaction similar to Guns/Gays/God in America, or Nazis in Germany, or the legal status of Taiwan in China.
Since Abe is a part of the new rising crop of Japanese neo-con politicians, his comments and actions during his term for a desire to become more militaristic are particularly alarming for the Japanese left (i.e., pacifists), and particularly heartening for the Japanese right (i.e., ultra-nationalists).
burn baby burn, let that mother frrr burn, we don't need no water....
new burning man
Better than doing a slow burn over it, I guess.
Morning headlines on Japan Today (English):
Thousands protest greater Japanese military role
54% of Japanese voters oppose Abe's security shift
Japan pushing on with reform of constitution despite fiery suicide bid
Someone burned my rice!
Obama, me love you long time!
Headlines from Mainichi (English):
71 percent fear Japan could be dragged into wars if collective self-defense exercised
Nearly 60 percent oppose Japan exercising right to collective self-defense: survey
Citizens protest against destroying Article 9 of Constitution
Better to self immolate and get it over with now than wait for the long term effects of Fukushima to do it for you, I guess. Ganbatte!
zzakenjane ya boke-
Japan Times:
Japan pushing on with military reform despite protester's self-immolation
Thousands get behind Article 9 in last-ditch rally at prime minister’s office
Not much from Asahi Shimbun except this gem:
Lawmakers’ incomes hit 5-year high, fueled by Abenomics boost to stock prices
Why do the sane ones kill themselves and the insane ones kill us?
I never understood why the "good" think it's noble to suicide in protest, instead of taking at least 1 bad guy out with them ?! Warped human psychology I guess.
US pushing Japan to the war with China... Puppet Abe do it...
Japanese soldiers worshipped the emperor and their religion in WWII and were a formidable enemy, defeated by US soldiers who loved their country, their flag, and God. Yet both countries have corrupted most of what drove their soldiers forward in WWII. I just do not see Japan having enough young men willing to attack or conquer other countries. We see today how well those with 'will power' (ISIS) do against those without.
Add in one part military draft and 10 parts US Military Aid. Voila, the Chinese have their hands full. South Vietnam, Part 2, coming soon to a propaganda box near you.
If Japan doesn't need its Article 9 anymore, maybe the U.S. can have it.
Exactly. They're setting up a US/Chinese war by proxy.
Quick, stop, drop him a few stories and roll.
New Constitution, sometimes self defense means striking first!
Yes if you were Poland in the late 1930s.
The bastards and bitches talking to us from podiums in every country, living comfortably as one could hope in this world, would trade places with this man in a fair world where karma rules (Golden Rule).
Miro! Nihonjin no Hedgetard ha jiniteki chikyuu ondanka wo hiteishite nagara moeteshimottanja! Odorokimon janaikana?
Reminds me of the Benihanas Chefs doing the volcano trick.
Don't Taze Me Bro. Nothing worth doing that to ones self for these maggets.
He didn't do it for them. He did it for their future victims.
The old myth that war/the ability to wage war is good for the economy.
Japan of all countries should know thats crap. After all, did it ever recover from world war 2? no. will it ever by waging wars/getting into even MORE debt? no.
It's all about #FUKU....you know BOOM!
You think that is going to allowed to poison the Pacific forever...not!
Peace through strength. Reagan was right. That is the only thing that works.
Witness Obama: Putin, the Chinese, and the Islamists know he's a pushover in an empty suit. Not good.
Wonder if he knew the Chinese aircraft carrier is for a casino? RIP
Abe doesn't care about this man or his opinion. He is drinking sake right now. And yes he just woke up.
The PeNikkei is up 1% on this macro?
Nikkei 225 15,315.50 15,162.10 15,330.50 15,125.00 ( +153.40 )
16:50 JPY Tankan Large Manufacturers Index 12 15 17
16:50 JPY Tankan Large Non-Manufacturers Diffusion Index 19 21 13
16:50 JPY Tankan Large Non-Manufacturers Index 19 19 24
16:50 JPY Tankan Small Manufacturers Diffusion Index 3 -6
16:50 JPY Tankan Small Manufacturing Index 1 -1 4
16:50 JPY Tankan Small Non-Manufacturers Diffusion Index 0 1 -4
16:50 JPY Tankan Small Non-Manufacturing Index 2 8
Blessed be the Peacemakers' .... JC
I used to be a skeptic, but it is uncanny how all this is unfolding and no one, including so called Christians and Muslims who also rever JC as a prophet attempt to heed JC's advice.
No, I am not preaching or trying to convert anyone, but damn with Obama and so many others claiming to be Christian, why don't they try and act like one?
I wonder if he lit up in a no smoking area?
Japan continues to slide towards an economic abyss with each passing day. The writing is on the wall. Japan is facing a wall of debt that can only be addressed by printing more money and debasing their currency. This means paying off their debt with worthless yen where possible and in many cases defaulting on promises made. Japan's public debt, which stands at around 230% of its GDP and is the highest in the industrialized world.
The moment the Japaneses stock market fails to rise enough to offset inflation this will turn into a tsunami of money fleeing Japan and constitute the end of the line for those left holding both JGBs and the yen. This has been a long time coming and I contend the cross-border flow of money leaving Japan is why some stock markets have remained so resilient . When Japan crumbles it will be felt across the world. More on this subject in the article below.
http://brucewilds.blogspot.com/2014/05/japan-sliding-towards-abyss.html
A most aggressive and degraded deed, burning oneself for some political reason.
Bushido.
Politicians will take no notice of you burning yourself, but if you coated yourself in flammable liquid, then hugged a Politician and set yourself alight or chucked a fire bomb at a Politician you would have their complete attention very quickly.
People all over the world are tired of their gov'ts fkn Bullshit.